Multi-purpose bulldozer blade

ABSTRACT

An implement is provided for attachment to the front of an earth moving machine and is supported for rocking movement about a transverse axis and is vertically movable between a substantially ground level position and an elevated position about the machine. The arrangement enables the implement to function as a bulldozer blade, a scraper blade, or a loader bucket. Digging teeth are provided on the implement and a removable plate normally covers the teeth.

States Patent 1 MULTI-PURPOSE BULLDOZER BLADE [76] Inventor: HelrnutDeglan, 2O443-70th Avenue, R.R. No. 4, Langley, B.C., Canada [22] Filed:Mar. 11, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 123,355

[52] US. Cl. ..37/l17.5, 172/253, 172/801 [51] Int. Cl. ..E02f 3/76, A01b 63/00 [58] Field of Search 172/801, 809, 806, 172/250-253; 37/1175[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,303,379 12/1942 Mork .37/117.5

2,494,225 l/1950 Blake ..172/80l X 3,469,330 9/1969 Hood et al..37/l17.5

2,839,849 6/1958 Christensen et a1. 172/806 X [451 May 1, 1973 2,732,963l/l956 Grubich ..l72/80l X I 3,218,740 11/1965 White ..37/1 17.52,453,943 11/1948 Smith ..37/l 17.5

Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Stephen C.Pellegrino Ar1orneyFetherstonhaugh & Co.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT An implement is provided for attachment to the front ofan earth moving machine and is supported for rocking movement about atransverse axis and is vertically movable between a substantially groundlevel position and an elevated position about the machine. Thearrangement enables the implement to function as a bulldozer blade, ascraper blade, or a loader bucket. Digging teeth are provided on theimplement and a removable plate normally covers the teeth.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented May 1, 1973 '7 3,729,844

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HELMUT w. DEGLAN 7 AT ro NEYS Patented May 1,1973 3,729,844

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvzmo: HELMUT W.v DEGLAN ATTORN VS MULTI-PURPOSEBULLDOZER BLADE My invention relates to an implement which is attachableto a bulldozer to perform a variety of tasks.

A conventional bulldozer blade is designed to move earth and the like byshoving the material ahead of the machine with the lowermost edge of theblade digging into the earth to some extent. The blade does this type ofwork extremely well but very often conditions are encountered whichrequire the use of a tool of different design. This may mean that thebulldozer has to move out of the way and stand idly by while a machineof appropriate design such as a shovel or a loader is moved up toperform the task which cannot be done with a conventional bulldozerblade. Obviously this employment of several expensive machines withtheir highly paid operators is an unsatisfactory one which contractorslike to avoid if at all possible.

I have solved this particular problem by providing a bulldozer bladewhich will perform the task for which it was designed as effectively asbefore but, in addition, can be used as a grading blade or as a loadingbucket. The present blade has a portion which is removable to expose theteeth suitable for use in clearing out rocks and roots as well asbreaking up hardpan.

In drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1 is a plan of a multi-purpose bulldozer blade mounted on aconventional tractor,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the blade in a grading position,

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the blade in a load-carrying position,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of the blade supported in ascraping position,

FIG. 6 is a detailed view of locking means for securing an extension tothe bulldozer blade, and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the moldboard extension asseen from the rear.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 indicates generally abulldozer comprising a tractor 11 which is provided with crawler tracks12. A C-frame 15, having parallel side members 16 and angularly disposedfront member 17 straddles the tractor 11 to project forwardly therefrom.The frame (not shown) of the tractor 11 has laterally projectingtrunnions 20 and the rear end of the side members 16 are journalled onthese trunnions. Thus, the C-frame 15 is pivotally mounted on thetractor ll for swinging movement about a transverse axis provided by thetrunnions .20 and suitable means is provided for raising and loweringthe front end of said frame. For example, the tractor 11 may havevertically swingable hydraulic cylinders 22 mounted on pivot blocks 23or the like and having piston rods 24 pivotally connected as at 25 tothe front members 17. When appropriate ends of the double-actingcylinders 22 are pressurized, the C-frame 15 is raised or lowered withthe forward end of said frame moving vertically through an arc. Themachine thus far described is'of conventional construction and need notbe exactly as described and illustrated as long as the front end of theC-frame 15 can be moved vertically in a suitable manner.

The multi-purpose blade which forms the basis of the present inventionis generally indicated by the numeral 30. Blade 30 extends across thefrom members 17 of the C-frame 15 and is provided with a rearwardlycurved moldboard 31 which projects beyond the side members 16. A heavyframe 32 is secured to the rear face of the moldboard 31 to give thisrelatively thin, plate-like member the necessary strength and rigidityand this frame includes transverse bottom and top members 33 and 34which are connected by vertical ribs 35, see particularly FIGS. 1 and 2.The moldboard 31 is also braced by side plates 37 which are shown inFIGS. 2, 3 and 4. It will be noted that the moldboard 31 and side plates37 give the bulldozer blade 30 a shape somewhat like a shallow bucket.

Pivot means generally indicated at 40 secures the blade 30 to theC-frame 15. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pivot means 40 comprises apin 42 which is suitably mounted so as to connect the bottom member 33of the moldboard frame with a housing 44. The substantiallytriangular-shaped housing 44 fits over the apex of the frame members 17at the forward end of the C-frame 15. The housing 44 is secured to theC-frarne 15 simply by means ofa removable pin 45, see FIG. 2.

The pivot means 40 also includes two other pivot pins 47 which arealigned with the center pivot pin 42, one near each side edge of theblade 30. For convenience, only one of the side pivot pins 47 is shownin FIGS. 3 and 4. To support the pins 47, each side member 16 of theC-frame is fitted with a side channel 50. Each channel 50 fits over theside member 16 and is secured thereto by a removable pin 53, see FIG. 3for example. Thus, the center pivot pin 42 and the two side pivot pins47 secure the blade 30 to the C-frame 15 for rocking movement about ahorizontal and transversely extending axis which is indicated by chaindotted line 56in FIG. 1 only.

The blade 30 is adapted to be rocked about the pivot means 40 by powermeans generally indicated at 60. Preferably, the means 60 comprises adouble-acting hydraulic cylinder 62 fitted with a piston rod 63. Thecentrally disposed cylinder 62 is pivotally secured as at 65 to thehousing 44 as shown best in FIG. 2. Rod 63 is similarly secured as at 66to the top member 34 of the moldboard frame 32. Cylinder 62 is includedin a suitable hydraulic circuit (not shown) extending to the hydraulicsystem of the tractor 11 whereby the driver of the machine can rock theblade 30 as required about the axis 56 and thus control the operatingangle of said blade. The blade 30 has three major operating positionswhich are the generally upright, ground level position shown in FIG. 2,the forwardly tilted, ground-level position shown in FIG. 3, and theraised and rearwardly tilted position shown in FIG. 4.

In order to relieve the strain of the power means 60 and associatedparts when the blade 30 is in eitherthe forwardly or rearwardly tiltedpositions, the present device includes stop means generally indicated at70. As shown in FIG. 1, and in greater detail in FIG. 3 for example, themeans 70 comprises a pair of arms 72 with one arm being disposed aboveeach side channel 50. The front end of each arm 72 is connected to abracket 74 on the moldboard frame 32 by a pivot pin 75 and the oppositeend of said arm is provided with a longitudinal slot 76 having end edges77. A bracket 78 is mounted on each side channel 50 near the rear endthereof and this bracket carries a laterally projecting pin 79 whichslidably projects through a slot 76 in an adjacent arm. When the blade30 is in the forwardly tilted position shown in FIG. 3, the two pins 79are engaged by the rear end edges 77 of the slots 76 whereupon the blade30 is partly supported by the pair of arms 72. In the same manner, thearms 72 partly support the blade when it is tilted rearwardly as in FIG.4, the pin 79 at this time engaging the front end edges 77 of the slots76.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the blade 30 will be seen to be provided with aplurality of digging teeth 80. These transversely spaced teeth 80 aresecured to the bottom member 33 of the moldboard frame so as to extenddownwardly and forwardly from lower edge 82 of the moldboard. As viewedin side elevation, the teeth 80 will be seen to taper from the member 33to their outer ends 84.

The moldboard 31 is provided with an extension 86 which is asubstantially rectangular plate covering the teeth 80. Extension 86 hasan upper edge 87, a lower edge 88, and side edges 89 which preferablydiverge from upper 87 to lower edge 88. On the rear face of themoldboard extension 86, a number of transversely spaced holding sockets90 are formed, see particularly FIGS. 5 and 7, there being one suchsocket for each tooth 80. The teeth 80 are seated in the holding sockets90 so that the moldboard extension is firmly held against movement inall directions except longitudinally of the teeth.

To hold the moldboard extension 86 from slipping forwardly off the teeth80, the multi-purpose blade 30 is provided with locking means generallyindicated at 92. As shown in FIG. 5, 6 and 7, the means 92 comprises apair of bars 94 (one only illustrated) which are welded or otherwisesecured to the rear face of the extension 86, one near each side edgethereof. The bars 94 are provided with one or more transverselyextending holes 95. The bars 94 each project through a slot 97 (FIG. 6only) which is formed in the frame 32 to the rear of the moldboard 31. Alocking pin 98 is threaded through a suitably spaced hole 95 in each bar94 to prevent the extension 86 from moving downwardly and forwardly offthe teeth 80. Preferably, each locking pin 98 is secured against beingaccidentally dislodged from its bar 94 by means ofa ringed keeper pin99. Thus, the moldboard extension 86 is firmly locked to the remainderofthe blade 30 so that it cannot be dislodged during normal operations.

In operation, the blade 30 is adapted to be positioned as shown in FIG.2 whereupon it can be used as a conventional bulldozer blade. In thisgenerally upright position, lower edge 88 normally is partially embeddedin the ground as the blade is pushed forwardly by the tractor II. Adigging and scooping action then takes place and the blade 30 is used inmuch the same manner as the conventional bulldozer blade.

When tilted forwardly as shown in FIG. 3, the blade 30 can be used inthe same manner as a scraper blade on a grading machine. This gradingposition of the blade 30 enables the machine 10 to function as a graderso that a road surface or the like can be leveled off without the loweredge 88 digging too deeply into the road surface. The hydraulic cylinder62 is pressurized to maintain this grading position as it does the otherthree major operating positions of the blade but the pair of arms 72also lend support the blade so that no undue stress is placed on thepower means 60.

To pick-up and carry a load of earth or the like, the blade 30 is driveninto the earth while in the digging (FIG. 2) position. The power means60 is then actuated to tilt or rock the blade rearwardly as shown inFIG. 4 whereupon the C-frame 15 is raised by means of the cylinders 22to elevate the blade and the load supported thereon. The earth load canbe transported from place to place by the machine and can be dumped fromthe elevated and rearwardly tilted blade 30 into a truck, for example,simply by pressurizing the appropriate end of the cylinder 62 to rockthe blade to the forwardly tilted position shown in FIG. 3.

The blade 30 can also be used to clear out roots and the like and forthis purpose, the moldboard extension 86 is removed to expose the teeth80. The blade is then tilted to the FIG. 3 position whereupon the end ofthe teeth can be embedded in the ground to a depth which will dig outroots when the bulldozer 10 is moved forwardly.

It will be noted that the blade 30 can quickly and easily be removedfrom the C-frame 15. This is done by pulling out the pins 45 and 53 torelease the blade from the tractor which is then driven in reverse toback the side members 16 out of the channels 50 and withdraw the frommembers 17 from the housing 44. The blade 30 can be picked up byreversing this procedure and generally this can be done by the tractoroperator working without assistance.

The moldboard extension 86 can also be removed and replaced withoutdifficulty. To remove the extension 86, the tractor operator merelyloosens the locking pins 98 and then manipulates the blade to drop theextension on to the ground. Replacement is slightly more difficult but askilled operator soon learns to use the blade 30 to jockey the extensioninto a position where the teeth can be thrust into the holding sockets90 and, when this is done, it is a simple matter to thread the lockingpins 98 into the holes which serves to lock the extension to theremainder of the blade.

From the foregoing, it will be seen I have provided a simple yetextremely effective bulldozer blade which will function equally as wellas a scraper, a tooth digging implement, a conventional blade, or aloader bucket. The apparatus can readily be attached to or removed froma bulldozer C-frame and the power requirement of the device can besupplied by adding a few extra hose lines and a control valve to thehydraulic system of a conventional tractor.

I claim:

1. A-multi-purpose blade for a bulldozer having a vertically swingableC-frame, said blade comprising a moldboard extending across a front endof the C-frame, pivot means securing the moldboard to the C-frame forrocking movement about a horizontal and transversely extending axis,said moldboard having a lower edge, a plurality of digging teethextending downwardly from the lower edge, a moldboard extensiondetachably secured to the moldboard to cover the digging teeth, saidmoldboard extension having holding sockets to receive the digging teeth,locking means for detachably securing the moldboard extension to themoldboard,

2. A multi-purpose blade as claimed in claim, 1 and including stop meansfor limiting rocking movement of the moldboard beyond the forwardlytilted grading position and the rearwardly tilted load-carryingposition.

3, A multi-purpose blade as claimed in claim, 1 in which said pivotmeans and said power means are mounted on C-frame supported members, anda.

removable pin securing each of the members to the C- frame.

1. A multi-purpose blade for a bulldozer having a vertically swingableC-frame, said blade comprising a moldboard extending across a front endof the C-frame, pivot means securing the moldboard to the C-frame forrocking movement about a horizontal and transversely extending axis,said moldboard having a lower edge, a plurality of digging teethextending downwardly from the lower edge, a moldboard extensiondetachably secured to the moldboard to cover the digging teeth, saidmoldboard extension having holding sockets to receive the digging teeth,locking means for detachably securing the moldboard extension to themoldboard, said locking means comprising a bar extending upwardly fromthe moldboard extension, said moldboard having a frame provided with aslot through which the bar projects, and a locking pin extendingtransversely through an opening in the bar to prevent withdrawal of saidbar from the slot, and power means including a fluid cylinder and pistonrod therefore for rocking the moldboard about the axis to a selectedoperating position, one such position being a forwardly tilted gradingposition, another being a generally upright digging position, and stillanother being a rearwardly tilted load-carrying position.
 2. Amulti-purpose blade as claimed in claim, 1 and including stop means forlimiting rocking movement of the moldboard beyond the forwardly tiltedgrading position and the rearwardly tilted load-carrying position.
 3. Amulti-purpose blade as claimed in claim, 1 in which said pivot means andsaid power means are mounted on C-frame supported members, and aremovable pin securing each of the members to the C-frame.